Residents of senior living community in South San Jose up early after guard shot burglary suspect. (Mark Gomez, Staff)

SAN JOSE -- An off-duty security guard shot and wounded a man he said was breaking into a car at an apartment complex during an early morning confrontation Wednesday ﻿because he thought the would-be thief was drawing a weapon on him, according to police.

It is the second time in eight months an auto burglary suspect has been shot in San Jose while being confronted by an armed citizen.

The wounded man is expected to survive and will be booked into jail on suspicion of burglary and possibly other charges after he is treated at the hospital, police said.

According to police, sometime before 1:30 a.m. the security guard was arriving at his home near Coleman Road and Almaden Expressway when he apparently interrupted someone trying to break into his father's vehicle in the parking lot of Le Mirador Senior Apartment Homes.

The security guard tried to detain the intruder, but he slipped away and got into a waiting vehicle, which almost hit the security guard as it drove a short distance and then stopped.

That's when the off-duty guard said he saw the intruder get out, reach into his waistband and pull out what looked like a weapon, police said. He in turn drew his gun and fired at the intruder and the alleged getaway vehicle.

"They attempted to run him over when they fled, initially," Officer Albert Morales said. "A passenger gets out of the vehicle, and motions toward his waistband. The security guard said he thought he saw a weapon, in fear for his safety pulled out his firearm and discharged it in the direction where the vehicle was and that person."

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The intruder got back in to the vehicle and fled, and the security guard called police. Responding officers found the vehicle and suspect, lying on the ground with a gunshot wound, nearby at Starwood and Thorntree drives. No weapon was found inside the car, according to police.

Police said the vehicle had been reported stolen.

The man who opened fire was taken to police headquarters for interviews. There may be three others associated with the episode, police said.

No one else was reported injured.

It is unknown if the security guard will face any charges from the shooting. Once police complete their investigation, the case will be forwarded to the Santa Clara County District Attorney's office for review.

In order to lawfully carry a weapon, security guards in California must obtain a special permit from the state Bureau of Security and Investigative Services.

The last time a San Jose resident shot a suspected car thief was Dec. 31 when maintenance man Luis Ricardo Hernandez, 26, shot and killed 36-year-old Christopher Soriano, whom Hernandez had long suspected of breaking into cars around the Lewis Road apartment complex where he worked. A warning shot ended up being fatal. Hernandez was charged with second-degree murder but agreed to a deal ﻿in which he pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter.

"It's always a concern when citizens take the law into their own hands," Morales said. "We don't know the circumstances they are presented with during the time they are making these confrontations with suspects. In this incident, this person felt his life was in danger and discharged his firearm. It is something as a police department we worry about when you have people arming themselves."

Contact Mark Gomez at 408-920-5869. Follow him on Twitter @MarkMgomez.